We live in an amazing world filled with wonders.
It is easy for us to be captivated by the beauty and intricacy all around us. We are dazzled by the stars in the night sky, the distant horizon of the ocean, the clouds on the mountains. We can be overwhelmed by the warmth of the sun on our faces, the aroma of baking bread. The music of the spheres plays in our hearing.
Each of us finds our own ways to experience and appreciate the deep wonders of the world.
Some of us decide we cannot spend our days reveling in the colors, the relationships, the aromas, the tastes. We have important things we need to do. We need to be disciplined, to concentrate on the tasks at hand. We have wonders of our own to create. We believe that when we have accomplished our objectives we will have earned our rest.
Some of us pay more attention to the challenges than the wonders. We are anxious or worried, we anticipate and find solutions to problems before they happen. We want to be prepared for any worst case scenario. Every silver lining has a cloud.
Lent is a time for me to remember that my ways of dealing with the overwhelming world can get in my way. Lent is a time of preparation and letting go. I let go of habits and practices that help me deal with life because they are not life itself. I do not want the things I do to keep from being overwhelmed to cut me off from life completely.
I do not want possible challenges to keep me from recognizing the wonders all around me.
How do you keep from being overwhelmed by life?
When do you experience the wonders of the world?
[Image by Mel Stoutsenberger]
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